Before you go, plan ahead. You are entirely on your own. Your descent marks your entry into a world in which preparation, self-reliance, and common sense are crucial. Be conservative in planning your hikes!

Don't Hike Alone

Know what your destination will be. Don't overestimate your capabilities. Hike intelligently. You are responsible for your own safety as well as that of everyone in your party.

Be Lightweight

The less you carry, the more enjoyable your hike will be, so travel as lightly as possible. The heaviest items in your pack should be your food and water. Hiking sticks can take some of the stress off your legs.

Wear well-fitting and broken-in lightweight hiking boots. Bring a small lightweight flashlight and a change of batteries and bulb. Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Bring a map, compass, signal mirror, moleskin, and water purification tablets (as a backup).

Stay on the trail and never shortcut switchbacks. Human fecal waste should be buried under 6"-8" of mineral soil and the toilet paper carried out with you. Leave the area as you found it; all trash (including biodegradable) needs to be carried out.

Take a Break

A break of five to seven minutes every 30 to 60 minutes can remove approximately 20 to 30 percent of the waste products that have built up in your legs while hiking. Sit down and prop your legs up above the level of your heart and let gravity help drain these metabolic waste products out of your legs.

Eat some food, drink some fluids, and take this break time to really enjoy and appreciate the view. These efficient breaks can really recharge your batteries. In the long run, these breaks will not slow you down.

No Food, No Fuel, No Fun

Stay hydrated and eat often. Eat and drink more than you normally do. Eat before, during, and after you hike. Eat before you are hungry. Drink water before you are thirsty. No matter what the temperature, you need water and energy to keep going.

Keeping yourself cool and hiking in Arizona takes a very large amount of energy (food). Salty snacks and water or sports drinks should be part of any hike. Food is your body's primary source of fuel and salts (electrolytes) while hiking in a desert climate.

Your best defense against illness and exhaustion is to eat a healthy breakfast, a snack every time you take a drink, and a rewarding full dinner at the end of the day. This is not a time to diet.

Eating adequate amounts of food will also help guarantee that you are replacing the electrolytes (salts) that you are sweating out. If you replace the water, but not the electrolytes that you have sweated out of your body, you can develop a serious and dangerous medical condition known as hyponatremia (water intoxication), which, if left untreated, can lead to seizures and possibly death. You need to eat about twice as much as you normally would to meet your energy and electrolyte needs while hiking.

Watch your time

Plan on taking twice as long to hike uphill as it takes to hike downhill. As a courtesy, give uphill hikers the right of way.

]]>false2016-06-27T20:27:30Z2016-06-27T20:27:30Zhttps://gearupcenter.com/blog/introducing-the-timahawk-multitool/Gear Up Center is excited to announce our newest product the Timahawk!

The Timahawk multi-tool has become increasingly popular most recently in the active duty military, law enforcement, survival community and Prepper Community as a tactical tool that is suited to clear debris, break through barriers, and eliminate threats in hand to hand combat.

The weight and balance of the Timahawk tool makes it a MUST HAVE for every camper, backpacker, bush crafter, woodsman, fireman, policeman, adventurer, four wheeler, survivalist and prepper!

The Timahawk Multi-Tool serves as a:

Crowbar

Axe

Tomahawk

Ave hammer

Hoe

Breaching tool

The Timahawk Tool Product Description:

27″ Length

Weight-5lbs

2″ Pry-bar/nail puller

2″ ADZE hammer head

6″ Axe blade

Full tang

Recycled hard custom plastic handles

4130 pre-hardened steel

Heat treated axe head

Powder coated orange paint

Hardened stainless steel bolts

The Timahawk also come with a 900D polyester sling back carrying case with molle webbing, and additional storage compartments

WARNING: Improper use can cause personal injury. Please use Timahawk and all accessories for their intended purposes.

Note: The Timahawk's intended use is that of a Multi-Tool. The Timahawk is not designed to undertake tasks best fulfilled by task-specific tools.

]]>false2016-06-15T19:38:02Z2016-06-15T19:38:02Zhttps://gearupcenter.com/blog/am-i-drinking-enough-water-gearupguide-/#GearUpGuide is back with more helpful tips about how to survive the hot summer heat!

The body is about 60% water, give or take. We're constantly losing water from our bodies, primarily via urine and sweat. There are many different opinions on how much water we should be drinking every day. The health authorities commonly recommend eight 8-ounce glasses, which equals about 2 liters, or half a gallon.

Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells, and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues. Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.

In a survival situation these are the things that you have to be aware of. Your body needs water to keep you alive. Lack of water causes many issues. Always be prepared with plenty of water and always have extra water with you in reserve. You can never carry too much water with you during a camping trip or on a mountain hike.

So how long can you survive without water? Humans in average shape and perfect conditions can probably live for three to five days without any water if they're not physically exerting themselves. Healthier people can live a day or so longer, while those who are unhealthy or exposed to particularly hot or cold weather may not survive as long.

]]>false2016-06-03T18:15:59Z2016-06-03T18:15:59Zhttps://gearupcenter.com/blog/here-is-gearup-outdoors-list-of-the-top-10-places-to-camp-in-arizona-this-summer/Here is GearUp Outdoors list of the top 10 places to camp in Arizona this summer!

]]>false2016-05-23T18:11:36Z2016-05-23T18:11:36Zhttps://gearupcenter.com/blog/its-time-to-grab-your-fishing-gear-a-cool-drink-and-enjoy-the-great-outdoors/It's time to grab your fishing gear, a cool drink and enjoy the great outdoors!

Here is GearUp Outdoors list of the top 10 places to fish in Arizona this summer!

Whats the perfect way to get the kids out of the house and stay out of the heat at the same time.

Take them camping!

Tips for Camping with Kids:

Practice camping at home: If your kids are outdoor newbies, pitch a tent in the backyard or even inside your home. Let them hang out in it and sleep in it so they become comfortable with a new sleeping environment.

Take a trial run: Before your overnighter, try a family day outing at a close-to-home park. Spend a half-day at a park and see how your kids react to the experience.

Involve your kids: Ask kids for ideas of things to do or see at your destination. Take their input seriously. Making the planning of your camping trip an affair!

Make the most of nature: Look for wildlife. Check out bugs. Examine rocks. Identify birds, flowers, clouds, constellations. Lead kids on a rock scramble. Show interest in things that interest them. Bring a field guide to help you identify and learn about the things they find.

Share time together: Great memories are one of the payoffs of a camping trip. Come home with the sort of stories that can only be created outdoors. Shakespeare must have been camping when he wrote, "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."

And finally - Be safe!: Your kids should always carry a whistle (teach them to blow it if they become separated from you) and have easy access to a flashlight or headlamp. Attach a lanyard to both the whistle and light and tie them to one of the child's belt loops.

Tricks-

Choosing a place to camp- Avoid depressions where rain might pool. Pitch on flat, well-draining surfaces. Also avoid camping near washes or rivers, especially during monsoon season in Arizona. Flash floods are a major danger and can catch campers off guard and sweep them away in seconds.

MAKE A CAMPFIRE FEEL HOTTER -Hang a space blanket from two trees or trekking poles behind one side of the blaze. It will reflect heat back. Keep the blanket a few feet away from flames to prevent its catching fire.

HAVE A PLAN B- Freak weather can wreak havoc on your family camping trip, especially during monsoon season in Arizona. Research backup options—e.g. trails in a peak’s rain shadow in case of a storm. Also, a few days before your trip, ask rangers about current conditions.

Top 10 spots to camp in Arizona

The team over at Gear Up has also compiled a list of the top ten places to camp this summer in Arizona:

]]>false2016-03-29T18:20:18Z2016-03-29T18:20:18Zhttps://gearupcenter.com/blog/how-much-water-does-our-body-need-to-keep-the-blood-flowing-/The body is about 60% water, give or take. We're constantly losing water from our bodies, primarily via urine and sweat. There are many different opinions on how much water we should be drinking every day. The health authorities commonly recommend eight 8-ounce glasses, which equals about 2 liters, or half a gallon.

Every system in your body depends on water. For example, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells, and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues. Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions. Even mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you tired.

So how long can you survive without water? Humans in average shape and perfect conditions can probably live for three to five days without any water if they're not physically exerting themselves. Healthier people can live a day or so longer, while those who are unhealthy or exposed to particularly hot or cold weather may not survive as long.

In a survival situation these are the things that you have to be aware of. Your body needs water to keep you alive. Lack of water causes many issues. Always be prepared with plenty of water and always have extra water with you in reserve. You can never carry too much water with you during a camping trip or on a mountain hike.

]]>false2016-03-02T20:04:14Z2016-03-02T20:04:14Zhttps://gearupcenter.com/blog/scavenger-6-the-worlds-most-versatile-weapons-system/Ralston Armory is announcing its new weapon’s system platform, The Scavenger 6. The innovative firearm is designed to shoot a wide range of calibers making it the first weapon system that combines the barrel into the cylinder allowing any combination of ammunition to be utilized.

The patented Cylinder barrel (referred to as the CB) allows the shooter to exchange the "CB's" and the ammunition they are shooting to adapt to their circumstances in just seconds. The CB’s are lightwight, compact and rifled 7 inches to increase the accuracy.To exchange the CB's the shooter simply presses a button located on the weapon system’s frame.

At this time the company is offering three multi-caliber CBs: The Survival CB, shoots 8 different calibers, the Hunter CB, shoots 7 different calibers, and the Battle CB, shoots 6 different calibers making it the most diverse weapons platform available on the market. With the wide array of combinations, the shooter can shoot their favorite caliber ammunition, use the multi-caliber CB, or adapt the weapon system to any situation. According to inventor Tim Ralston, “this patented weapons platform is the most versatile weapon that has ever existed and will be the choice for those looking for a diverse firearm.

Currently the Scavenger 6 is in the prototype stage, with a fully functioning weapon system coming soon.

It's been called "THE ARMY'S GREATEST INVENTION." The P-38, also know as "John Wayne" by the United States Marine Corps, is known for its durability ,reliability and multifunctionality. We here at Gear Up Center have decided to put that last statement to the test and see just how many uses it has.